Eduardo da Silva received what could be one of the biggest ovations of his career Tuesday - from opposition fans.
With his Shakhtar Donetsk team losing 5-0 at Arsenal in the Champions League, Eduardo volleyed in a late goal for the Ukrainian side to huge cheers from the fans who supported him during his three years in the Premier League.
Eduardo honored his pre-match promise not to celebrate if he scored against the Gunners, further endearing him to those who backed him during his recovery from a potentially career-ending injury in February 2008.
The fans at Emirates Stadium got to its feet to cheer the goal, an instinctive first-time finish from about 15 meters (yards). "Eduardo! Eduardo!" they then chanted as the striker applauded all four sides of the north London stadium at the final whistle.
"If you wanted anyone to score a goal for Shakhtar Donetsk, it was Eduardo," Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger said.
The goal was a reminder of the finishing Arsenal fans hoped to see regularly from the Brazilian-born striker when he signed from Dynamo Zagreb for 7.5 million pounds in July 2007.
He struck 12 times in 31 matches before suffering a broken leg and dislocated ankle in a 2-2 Premier League draw against Birmingham. He returned with three goals in four games toward the end of the following season but struggled to recapture his best form after a year out.
Eduardo added seven goals to his tally last season but went 12 games without scoring before Wenger allowed him to sign for Shakhtar in July on a four-year contract.
Wenger acknowledged ahead of the game that he would always be sad not to know how good a fully fit Eduardo could have been for Arsenal.
"He just had the class of an Arsenal player. It is very difficult to quantify," Wenger said. "I worked very hard to get him here and he left with the feeling that he could not completely fulfill the promise he had in the first season.
"That was basically down to the fact he was injured for a long time and somebody else moved in front of him."
